Clara Biss

About Clara Biss

As violinist of the Lawson Trio, member of the Britten Sinfonia, ex member of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and violinist in Endymion, Clara has performed all around the globe.

The violinist and viola player Clara Biss is as happy playing chamber music on London's most prestigious stages, as she is touring the world with a symphony or chamber orchestra; this is reflected in her extremely varied career.
Now the violinist of The Lawson Trio, as well as a member of the Britten Sinfonia, she spent her student years in a successful string quartet.

Clara then jumped to the other extreme and joined the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, where she played for five years. During that time she toured the world, working with such conductors as Charles Dutoit, Pinchas Zukerman and Daniele Gatti, as well as being inspired by soloists including Martha Argerich and Nigel Kennedy.

Working in a busy London orchestra gave her a real appreciation of the challenges of the music world.
Clara left the RPO in 2010, in order to play music outside the symphony orchestra repertoire. This has led to all sorts of opportunities, ranging from giving workshops in the foothills of the Himalayas to touring with the English and Scottish Chamber Orchestras.

Her career has gravitated towards smaller scale performing, mainly with chamber orchestras and chamber music groups.
As a member of the Britten Sinfonia, she has loved touring in Mexico, New York, Amsterdam and South America, working with fantastic musicians such as Pekka Kuusisto, Thomas Ades and Mark Elder.

Clara began playing as a member of the mixed chamber group Endymion shortly after she finished studying, and performs with them at The Wigmore Hall, South Bank and most memorably in a performance of Arvo Pärt's St. John's Passion in a BBC Prom at the Royal Albert Hall.

In 2013, Clara became the violinist of The Lawson Trio, and has subsequently been exploring the wealth of the Piano Trio repertoire, ranging from Mozart and Haydn to new trios by Weir, Knotts and Reeves. The Trio performs extensively and is closely linked to Chamber Music 2000, an initiative that commissions new piano chamber music to be played by children and amateurs.

She has collaborated both as a violinist and viola player with the Edinburgh, Engergård, Dante and Coull Quartets, and has visited Prussia Cove for the International Musician's Seminar.

Clara teaches violin and viola to the Choristers of Westminster Abbey, as well as being involved in many community and education projects. These range from leading orchestral courses for the Britten Sinfoina Academy / Aldeburgh Young Musicians, to workshops in schools in Jamaica.